How Exercise Affects Your Brain

How Exercise A ects Your Brain

By Susan Gazerro By Susan Gazerro

Myke Yeager Photography

Exercise can do all of the following:

Prevent depression and stress

Lower blood pressure and lower the odds of having heart problems

Make you feel good physically and mentally

Reduce the brain fog that comes with age

And much more….

I have always preached, exercise is not about losing weight. It is a fringe benefit. There’s so much more. Exercise can be defined and done in so many different ways. We all know that exercise comes from walking, jogging, running, swimming, hiking, taking a cardio class, lifting weights, etc., but what really happens to our body when we exercise?

The most recent research shows that the exercise we do to improve our body also helps our brain! When we do high intensity exercise, our heart rate increases, supplying more blood flow to the brain. The increased heart rate also increases our breathing, making us breathe harder and faster. As a result, more oxygen is supplied to our blood stream and more oxygen reaches our brain. This leads to neurogenesis, which is the production of neurons.

This is very personal to me because I suffered a TBI, Traumatic Brain Injury, and being a fitness instructor, I learned a lot about the connection between physical exercise and the brain. Research has indicated that physical exercise increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus, the area of the brain that is important for learning and memory. Additionally, exercise also influences the neurotrophins; it’s the protein that aids in neuron survival, development, and function. This all results in improved learning and memory. Regular physical activity lowers the risk of developing cognitive impairment, such as dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. This benefit from exercise is for people with normal and also impaired cognitive health, including people with ADHD, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.

treating depression. Indirectly, exercise can improve mood and sleep and can also reduce stress and anxiety. Even with all of this knowledge, most people are not doing the required amount of exercise. How to start. Choose a workout that you enjoy. You don’t have to go to the gym and sweat it out, it could be any place or form that you find enjoyable, such as those listed above. Doing something you enjoy will change your attitude towards exercise. It shouldn’t be a chore. It should be a priority you do everyday. No matter how much you enjoy your workout, if you keep doing the same thing over and over again, you will likely lose interest. Keep trying different activities. Change the scenery; instead of always going to the gym, go outdoors. Exercise with a friend. It can and will be fun.

Usually when people start exercising, they go overboard on their first few days. It puts lots of stress on the body and mentally you will burn out. Start slow. It’s much better to start with 15-20 minutes, taking it nice and slow, and gradually increasing. Making the body adjust to it so that it feels good and grows organically as your lifestyle. Set out a plan for your workout. Don’t just go and do what everybody is doing. Focus on your own body and listen to it. You can focus on one muscle group at a time and if possible, you could take the help of a trainer who will guide you on your fitness journey. Having a workout buddy also makes you accountable to each other and will help you stick to the routine. Set a goal. Setting a goal will keep you motivated and will encourage you to keep going. Saying that you want to tone your body is not a very clear goal.

However, if you say you want to be strong enough to lift a particular weight or fit enough to run a marathon, the goal is much more clear. You can also set a timeframe in which you want to achieve that goal. When I started running, I went to a ¼ mile track and would add a lap every night until I reached three miles. Then I ran daily, building on the mileage until I was able to run my first marathon. Now, your goal does not have to be a marathon, but just reaching three miles was a great accomplishment, as I was never a runner. This following advice might sound strange, but it’s true. Buy workout clothes you feel comfortable and confident in. When you feel good physically, you feel great mentally, and trust me, your workout will be better.

Focus on the frequency of workouts and not about the workout being perfect. On those dull days when you think that you cannot really do much, are the days that you should definitely go and workout. Studies have shown that exercise acts as a mood enhancer. Even if it’s a short walk, do something. You WILL feel better. When you think you can’t, you can!

Enjoy your workouts. Move more, sit less. Move as much as you can. Exercise will not only improve your brain and body, but your life will be much happier!